Earring with spring impelled clamp



Nov. 16, 1954 E. F. GRAY 2,694,299

EARRING WITH SPRING IMPELLED CLAMP Filed March 6, 1953 INVENTOR ERNEST 2762M y,

United States Patent Ofifice 2,694,299 Patented Nov. 16, 1954 EARRING WITH SPRING INIPELLED CLAMP Ernest F. Gray, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 6, 1953, Serial No. 340,769 8 Claims. cl. 63-14) This invention relates to an earring of the type which can be detachably clamped to the lobe of the human ear.

More specifically, the present invention pertains to an earring of the aforesaid type which is provided with an improved clamp arm and spring loaded means acting thereon, which combination forms a clamping means whereby the device is attached in a secure and comfortable manner to the ear of the wearer.

An investigation of the prior art shows that said art has already developed to a considerable extent, but also indicates that there remains room for simplifying devices of this kind, without impairing their efficiency, and at the same time lowering cost of manufacture.

With a view to improving upon prior devices in its class, it is one object of the invention to provide means for using to better advantage a spiral spring to act upon a clamp member engageable with the lobe of the ear. Spiral springs so used are, in general, more durable and satisfactory than short, resilient arms; but in prior devices of this kind spiral springs have frequently been so used as unduly to complicate structure and to unnecessarily increase cost of manufacture.

Another object is to provide an earring furnished with an improved ear lobe engaging, elongated clamping member which, viewed in its applied position, is swingable both horizontally and vertically and which is so constructed that it takes'a firmer hold upon the ear, not only when subiected to downward traction, but also when pulled horizontally either forwardly or rearwardly.

It is also a specific object of the invention to provide the device with an improved, hollow ear clamping member of an elongated ovate character. which. in the applied condition of the device, enga es the ear in a very comfortable manner, which can be constructed in a smaller and neater form, and can be easily applied and released; and which has a very wide range of adiustment.

Other ob ects. advantages and features of invention will hereinafter a pear.

Referrin to the accomoanving dr wing. illustrative of preferred embodiments of the invention, which has been reduced to practice,

Fig. l is a side elevation of the device showing the same applied to the lobe of a human ear.

Fig. 2 is a view of the device, per se, showing the same partly in side elevation and partly in section. In this view two of the operative positions of the clamp member are shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view illustrating the device, the viewpoint of the observer being indicated by the arrow 3 above Fig. 2. Dotted lines show horizontal adjustments of the clamping member.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation, the viewpoint of the observer being indicated by the arrow carrying line 4-4 at the left of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section further illustrating, on an enlarged scale, a part of the structure shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section of the lower part of the structure shown in Fig. 5, the viewpoint of the observer being indicated by the line 66 on the latter view.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation (except that a fragment is shown in section) of a modification wherein a modified clamping member is shown and the spring housing sleeve is omitted.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of part of the structure shown 2 in Fig. 7, the viewpoint of the observer being indicated by the line 8-8 above the latter view.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the device therein shown comprises a form retaining U-shaped member 10 constructed and dimensioned loosely to embrace the lobe 11 of a human ear 12,'one arm 13 of said U-shaped member carrying externally at its outer end an ornament 14 with a neck portion encircled by a terminal eye portion 15 of the U arm 13 at that side of the device, said ornament having a convex ear lobe engaging part 14a; and the other arm 16 of said U-shaped member having its outer end portion flattened at 16a (see Fig. 6), and terminating in a stop forming flattened hook 17 directed away from the space between the arms of the U. Said hook is easily formed by bending in a flatwise (rather than an edgewise), manner the flattened arm portion which it terminates.

A longitudinally movable sleeve 18 is mounted upon said flattened arm portion, the upper end of said sleeve having an apertured or slotted end wall 18a which fits verly looselv around said flattened part of the arm 16. Said sleeve loosely contains a spiral compression spring 20, the lower end of said spring resting upon the double, upwardly facing shoulder 21 resulting from the aforesaid flattening of the arm 16, and the upper end of said spring continually pressing against the slotted upper end of said sleeve.

When a gentle downward pressure is applied to the sleeve 18 there results, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, sufficient space between the stop forming hook 17 and the upper end of the sleeve 'to provide a working clearance to a clamp arm 23 having an apertured end portion attached to the arm 16 subjacent to said hook, as best shown in Fig. 5, where it is to be seen that the aperture 24 through said arm 23 is considerably larger than the cross section of the part of the arm 16 passing through it, so that said clamp arm may swing universally. that is to say, both verticallv and horizontally, as indicated by the dotted lines of Figs. 2 and 3.

Viewing the device in its operative position the clamp arm 23 is seen to have a down curved free end portion 25 the convex side of which is pressed a ainst the inner side of the ear lobe 11 thus gently grinnin it in cooperation with the U arm 13 at the opposite side of the car.

In Fig. 3 the structure shown is the same as in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5. but discloses more clearlv the ornamental character of the clam member 23, which is provided with shallo corrugations 23a.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a modification wherein an ovate shell 30 takes the lace of the clamp arm 23. one end portion of this shell havin throu h it opposed. twin slots 31 and 32 enou h lar er than the cross section of the flattened U arm 16 to allow. as afores id. b h vertical and horizontal swin ing m vements of he cl m ing member. Said ovate member 30 affords, for contacting the ear lobe. a spherically bul ed surface which presses against the ear lobe in a very comfortable manner, and yet functions well as a art of one iaw of the ear lobe clampin means provided by the invention.

Referring to certain additional structural details, the aperture 24 through the clamping member 23 (see Fig, 3), is shown as an elongated rectangular o ening or slot the length of which extends width-wise said member 23. This opening aflo'rds both end and side clearance for the flattened part of the arm 16 that passes therethrough; and in the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the aperture 31 is of a trapezoidal shape with end and side clearance for the flattened arm portion that passes through it. These spacious apertures therefore provide the clearances required for the already mentioned universal swing ing movement of both embodiments of the ear lobe clamping member.

The edge of the expanded free end portion of the clamping arm 23, for the most part extends at a right angle to the axis of the arm. Therefore, speaking of the device in its applied position, wherein the midwidth part of the arm abuts the ear lobe, a forward or rearward horizontal traction applied to the device will clamp it more se curely to the ear.

.An accessory, pendant ornament 35 may, if desired, be

attached to a hook 36 provided therefor in the basal portion of the U arm 13.

Owing to the fact that the free end portion of the clamping member 23 is considerably wider than its attached end portion, when it is desired to remove the device from the ear it is easy for the operator to grasp said wider part of the clamping member between a thumb and finger and then to swing said member down to the released position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Also the modified clamping member of Figs. 7 and 8, owing to its broad midlength portion, can be readily grasped and manipulated in a similar manner.

In the operation of both embodiments of the device the end of the hook 17 forms a fulcrum against which the extremity of the attached end portion of the clamping member 23 (or is abutted by the action of the spring in causing said clamping member to swing toward its ear engaging position. Said spring funct1ons in substantially the same manner in both embodiments of the invention, but in the first described embodiment the end wall 180 of the sleeve 18 is interposed between the spring and clamping member whereas in the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the spring directly engages the clamping member.

I claim:

1. In an earring of the kind described, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to embrace the lobe of the human ear, the outer end portion of one of the arms of said member being flattened and having a double shoulder on said arm spaced a considerable distance from the extremity of the arm, the end portion of said one arm being hook shaped with the hook directed away from the space between the arms of the U and with the leg portion of the hook substantially parallel with the leg portion of the U-shaped member, an elongated ear lobe clamping member attached by one of its end portions to the outer end portion of said one arm subjacent to said hook to swing within thespace between the arms of said U-shaped member, the end' portion of said one arm subjacent to said hook passing through an aperture through said clamping member, said aperture being considerably larger than the cross section of the part of the arm passing therethrough but smaller than the distance between the legs of the hook portion so that said clamping arm is attached in a loosely swingable manner, and a longitudinally compressed spiral compression spring loosely coiled around said flattened portion of said one arm, one end of said spring abutting against said double shoulder and the opposite end of said spring continuously acting upon the attached end portion of said clamping member, the outer end portion of said hook forming a fulcrum against which said clamping member is pressed by said spring so that the latter tends to swing the former into a clamping relation to the lobe of an ear to which the device is applied.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and that arm of said U-shaped member which is opposite to said one arm being curled into an eye which lies in a plane extending at a right angle to the plane in which the U as a whole lies, to support an ornament.

3. In an earring of the kind described, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to receive between its arms the lobe of a human ear, an elongated ear lobe clamping member having an ear lobe engaging surface adjacent one end thereof, said clamping member having a pivot portion adjacent the opposite end thereof, said clamping member having an aperture between said pivot portion and said lobe engaging surface, said aperture loosely surrounding the outer part of one of the arms of the U to maintain said clamping member in a loosely swingable manner within the space between the arms of said U-shaped member, a coil spring surrounding said arm subjacent to said clamping member, shoulder means carried by said arm upon which the lower end of said spring rests, the upper end of said spring continuously acting against said clamping member adjacent said aperture, a projection adjacent the outer end of said arm directed away from the other arm of the U, the width of said projection being greater than the width of said aperture, said projection affording a downwardly facing fulcrum engaged by said pivot portion of said clamping member so that said spring continuously tends to swing said clamping member into its operative position.

4. The subject matter of claim 3, said fulcrum forming projection consisting of an outwardly deflected hook portion of said arm.

5. In an earring of the kind described, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to embrace the lobe of a human ear, the end portion of one of the arms of the U being hook shaped, with the hook directed away from the space between the arms of the U, an ear lobe clamping member having an aperture loosely surrounding the outer end portion of said arm subjacent to said hook, said aperture being smaller than said hook so that said clamping member is mounted on said arm and is free to swing vertically and laterally within the space between the arms of said U-shaped member, said clamping member having a pivot portion on the opposite side of said aperture from said lobe engaging portion, said pivot portion bearing against the end of the hook as a fulcrum, and means encircling the portion of said arm subjacent said hook to press said pivot portion of said clamping member into a continuously contacting relation with the end of said hook, using the latter as a fulcrum and thus tending to swing said clamping member into engagement with an ear to which the earring is applied.

6. The subject matter of claim 5, said encircling means comprising a longitudinally compressed spiral coil spring.

7. The subject matter of claim 5, said encircling means comprising a longitudinally compressed spiral coil spring and a sleeve enclosing said spring.

8. In an earring of the kind described, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to receive between its arms the lobe of a human ear, an'ear lobe clamping member having an ear lobe engaging surface, said clamping member 'having a pivot portion adjacent one end thereof, said clamping member having an aperture between said pivot portion and said lobe engaging surface, said aperture loosely surrounding the outer part of one of the arms of the U to maintain said clamping member in a loosely swingable manner within the space between the arms of said U-shaped member, a projection adjacent the outer end of said arm directed away from the other arm of the U, the width of said projection being greater than the width of said aperture, said projection affording a downwardly facing fulcrum engaged by the pivot portion of said clamping member and tension means adjacent said arm beneath said pivot portion acting to continuously press said pivot portion into engagement with said fulcrum, thus tending to swing said lobe engaging surface into engagement with the lobe of an ear to which the earring is applied.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 640,357 Baumgarten Jan. 2, 1900 879,358 Brant Feb. 18, 1908 1,287,067 Markham Dec. 10, 1918 1,973,282 Brush Sept. 11, 1934 2,383,237 Buick Aug. 21, 1945 2,452,796 Skibsted Nov. 2, 1948 

